International Festival of Science and Innovations – Georgia 2018

September 22 – October 1,2018

             On September 22, 2018, the Festival of Science and Innovations was officially opened at Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. The higher education institutions and scientific institutes, private companies and foreign representatives of science in Georgia presented their product and offered different activities in the yard of the University first building. Georgian   Academy of Agricultural Sciences was one of the participants of the Festival.

The exhibition of Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences was presented by its President, Academician Guram Aleksidze, Vice President Givi Japaridze. The exhibition was organized and designed by Dr. Anatoli Giorgadze, Vice President and the Coordinator of Scientific Departments of the Academy, Dr. R. Lolishvili and Dr. M. Barvenashvili – learned secretaries and Dr. T. Epitashvili, the Assistant of the President.

      The Academy presented the results of scientific work carried out by its members in the field of agrarian sciences for the last five years: researches, text-books, recommendations, innovations, etc.

Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University is hosting the Festival of Science and Innovations this year in regards with its 100-year jubilee of foundation. Besides open-air exhibition, a series of scientific and educational activities, public lectures, conferences, trainings, workshops, open-door activities and field works are to be held within the framework of the Festival.

     On 25^th of September, GAAS is hosting scientific conference: “The present situation and perspectives of development of cattle breeding and veterinary”. On September 27, the students of 31^st Tbilisi State school will be invited to the Academy for public lecture on the topic: “Birds and Physics”. (Dr. Marina Barvenashvili) and “Pollution of Georgian Environment” ( Dr. R. Lolishvili).

The Opening Ceremony of the Festival attended by the representatives of Georgian Government and other celebrities was very interesting. The Rector of TSU, Giorgi Sharvashidze in his opening speech underlined regional importance of the festival because the guests from different countries participated in the event. So, different activities, such as “ The days of France”, “The days of Italy”, also, other partner countries will present the results of their scientific achievements and offer different performances. About 200 guests from different countries arrived to participate in the event.

Following the speech of Irakli Kobakhidze, the Head of the Parliament, the young generation’s involvement in science and technologies should increase steadily. The fact that today TSU hosts the Festival which also bears a symbolic meaning as it has been the place in which many generations of Georgian well –known scientists have been raised, said the  Head of the Parliament.

A.Tevzadze, the Deputy of the Minister of Education, Science and Culture, stated in his speech that the Festival next year will be held also in Batumi and Kutaisi.  

The guests of the Festival will have opportunity to participate in the events and activities organized by our guests from different countries, e.g. take a look of well-known scientific center in Cern, located in Switzerland; spend one day in archaeological expedition, or be involved in research and field work, or excursions to Batumi and Kutaisi.

      On October the 1^st, a Regional Hub of European Academy will be opened at TSU, also it will host an international Conference “EU-4-Innovations: support for researches and industrial connections” organized by Georgia and EU Commission.

         On September 17-21, in Tbilisi, ( Hotel Holiday Inn), the 28^th Conference of EU Regional Commission of World Organization of Animal Health Protection was held. The Conference was attended by high rank representatives of World Organization of Animal Health Protection, among them: General Director, President of the organization, the delegates of 53 regional organizations, governmental and non-governmental organizations were involved in the field.

         The Conference was officially opened by the Minister of Agriculture together with the General Director and the President of the Organization.

Professor, Academician G. Aleksidze, the President of GAAS, Academician Z. Tskitishvili and Dr. of Veterinary, Academician of GAAS, T. Kurashvili took active participation on the work of the Conference.

        On September 12-13, 2018, an International Symposium on Nutrition was held in Tbilisi, and its slogan was: “Nutrition and health – current developments”. The Symposium was opened at Medical University and next day it was hosted by Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences. 

          The Session at the Academy was opened by its President, Academician Guram Aleksidze who welcomed the foundation of the Association which will control problems of nutrition in Georgia. The presenter pointed out that one of the six scientific departments functioning at the Academy – “Food safety and food technology” - also deals with the problems related to nutrition and safety of products. The Scientific Department is directed by Academician of GAAS Zurab Tskitishvili who controls and immediately gives due assessment to the problems which emerge regularly in this area to protect Georgian population from any hazards connected with food safety and nutrition.  

 The Syposium was attended by the representatives of the organizations working in this field and the specialists among whom there were the academicians of GAAS, researchers from Great Britain and Irland who delivered their presentations. The following persons took part in the discussion: Academician Z. Tskitishvili, Professors R. Gvamichava, K. Dadiani, Sh. Zarnadze, Nata Kakabadze, the Head of G. Natadze Scientific- Research Institute of Sanitary, Hygiene and Medical Ecology, and others. Manana Gobejishvili, the member of British Association of Nutrition was unanimously elected by the Meeting as the Head of Georgian Society of Nutrition, who thanked the Symposium participants and expressed her belief that the work carried out by the Society will be fruitful and will support the development of different branches of science connected with nutrition.

On September 6, 2018, a Coordinating Center of Environment and Agro biodiversity hosted a delegation from South Korea, the guests were from Scientific – Research Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking and the University of Ionami.  

The visit was planned and carried out by Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences, South Korea Agricultural Development and Administration and Agro biodiversity National Center. The aim of the Project is to exchange genetic resources, to develop joint cooperation of management and researches in the named field. From Georgian side, Academician G. Aleksidze, the President of GAAS and the head of the Project, participated in the expedition, also Academician Nodar Chkhartishvili, a Deputy Head of Coordinating Center of Environment and Agro Biodiversity of the Academy, Dr. Anatoli Giorgadze, Dr. Tinatin Epitashvili, a Secretary of Coordinating Center.

The Project participants had some field visits, namely to the Kakheti Region, Kvareli “Megvineoba Khareba” and take a look of its vineyards and unique Wine Cellar – the Tunnel, in which the guests could take a taste of different unique wine made from Georgian endemic species. Also they visited wine “Corporation Kindzmarauli” in Kvareli and observed new technologies of winemaking, as well as ancient, traditional winemaking. During Wine Testing the guests were offered seven different varieties of wines which raise live interest and appreciation among the guests.

The materials collected during the Expeditions in Kakheti and Ajara regions were sent to Research Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking in Korea. 52 samples of Georgian vine genetic resources were chosen for multiplication by tissues culture method.

   On the next stage of the Project development, Georgian specialists will visit Korea to study how Georgian vine species have coped and developed in a new environment.